Bowling ball return mechanism



Dec. 11, 1962 R. L. HOLLOWAY BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM Filed. July 10, 1958 FIG.

INVENTOR ROBERT L HOLLOWAY BY 4 W ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1962 3,068,006 BOWLING BALL RETURN MECHANISM Robert L. Holloway, Snyder, N.Y., assignor to American Machine & Foundry Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed July 10, 1958, Ser. No. 747,654 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-49) The present invention relates to bowling ball handling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for removing a bowling ball from the pit of a bowling alley to a ball return device.

In the game of bowling and especially in bowling alleys served by bowling pin spotting machines, the problem exists in expediting the removal of bowling balls from the alley pit in order that balls may be returned to the bowlers in a minimum of time, and play speeded up thereby.

The present invention is characterized by the provision in the pit of improved means operative to urge a ball deposited into the pit toward an opening in the kick-back of the alley and to a ball return device. Mechanism embodying the invention preferably comprises a transverse spiral roller and a bounce board or platform spaced longitudinally therefrom. These members are located in the pit preferably beneath a travelling surface inthe pit, forming a guide trough for the ball which is impelled by the spiral roller laterally of the pit to a ball exit in one of the kick-backs of the associated alley.

Further, there is provided an improved system to prevent the exit of bowling pins from the pit which would disrupt the operation of the associated machine. In the present invention, there is provided a travelling surface adjacent the ball exit to engage any pins attempting to escape from the pit with a ball. Pins engaged by this travelling surface are conducted against a diverting member, the pins being cammed thereby onto the pit conveyor. Balls, however, gravitate on the travelling surface away from the diverting member to a ball return device for rapid return to the head end of the alley.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to pro vide a novel device for removing a ball from the pit of a bowling alley.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel pit conveyor embodying a spiral roller to remove a bowling ball from the pit of a bowling alley.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel ball handling mechanism for removing a ball from the pit of a bowling alley to a ball return device.

An added object of the present invention is to provide a novel pin handling mechanism to prevent the escape of pins from the pit of a bowling alley.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected to illustrate the invention progresses. In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings.

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the pit end of a conventional bowling alley.

FIGURE 2 is a view, partly in section, taken along line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view taken along line 3--3 of FIG- URE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the bowling ball return mechanism chosen to illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown mounted in the pit P of a conventional bowling alley A. Bowling balls and pins (not shown) removed into pit P from the playing surface of alley A are deposited onto the upper lap of ,a conveyor or travelling apron'12 which in the embodiment illustrated is pits wide. Conveyor 12 which preferably is continuously in' motion in the direction of arrow B, FIGURE 2, in pit P, describes an inclined path of travel around rollers 14 and 16 mounted on transverse shaft 18 and 20, suitably'supported in plates 22 and 24 at the front and rear of pit P.

Shaft 18 and 20 and rollers 14 and 16 mounted thereon are driven in any convenient manner in the direction. of the arrows shown in FIGURE 2 to deliver balls 10 and pins (not shown) to the rear of pit P. Plates 22 and 24 are, in turn, secured to the conventional kick-backs K of alley A, as shown in FIGURE 1.

Pins (not shown) on conveyor 12. are delivered thereby to chute 21 at the rear of pit P and into a suitable elevating mechanism M mounted between plates 22 and 24' at the rear of pit P adjacent rear cross-member 26. Plows 28 and 30 located at opposite sides of conveyor 12 and suitably secured to the inner faces of plates 22 and 24 respectively operate to direct pins on conveyor 12 over chute 21 and into elevating mechanism M.

Conveyor 12, chute 21 and pin elevating mechanism M and plows 28 and 30 may be similar in construction and operation to those shown in Holloway et a1. Patent:

2,767,983 for Bowling Pin Elevating Mechanism. Only so much of a disclosure thereof as is necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention is included herein in the interests of brevity.

Platform 32 is mounted beneath the upper lap of conveyor 12 as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 on sets of brackets 31 and 36 secured toplates 22 and 24 respectively. Platform or bounce board 32 thus prevents the upperlap of conveyor 12 from sagging under the weight or impact of bowling balls 10 or pins deposited thereon. In addition platform 32 isprovided with a diagonal beveled edge 33 forreasons more fully set forth hereinbelow.

Mounted beneath and adjacent the upper lap of conveyor 12 is a third roller 34 provided with a circumferential spiral grooving 35. Roller 34 is secured to shaft 37 supported in plates 22 and 24 generally parallel to but" spaced from the beveled edge 33 of platform 32 less than the diameter of bowling ball 10. Shaft-37 is driven'preferably constantly in any convenient manner to rotate spiral roller 34 in the direction of the arrow illustrated in FIGURE 2. i

In operation, a ball 10 deposited onconveyor 12 .gravitates or is carried thereon rearwardly toward elevating mechanism M until it engages backstop member 38 supported transversely above conveyor 12 on brackets 39 se cured to suitable framework (not shown). Backstop 38 is spaced from the upper lap of conveyor 12 a distance less than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball but greater than the maximum diameter of a'bowlingpin. Thus backstop 38 permits free passage therebeneath of pins on conveyor 12 but intercepts all balls carried thereon. Backstop 38 is positioned to engage a ball 10 on, conveyor 12 adjacent spiral roller 34 and is mounted in a generally parallel relationship thereto asshown best in FIGURE 1.

Ball 10 engaged by backstop 38 will be deposited thereby in the groove or trough 40 formed by spiral roller 34 and the beveled edge 33 of platform 32. 'It will be under: stood that if ball 10 is moving sufficiently slowly on con: veyor 12, it will enter trough 40 without first being .engaged by backstop 38. In normal operation, however, ball 10 possessses an excess of forward momentum which is first dissipated by engaging backstop 38 before it is deposited thereby into trough 40. v

Ball 10 in trough-40 is positively urged by the'spiral grooving 35 of rotating roller 34 in the direction of ar row' D, FIGURE 1, and through an opening-42 provided therefore in plate 22. Ball 10, thus moved by' roller- 34 through opening 42, emerges into the space 55, preferably between two side-by-side or adjacent bowling alleys.

Ball 10, entering into space S, is deposited onto the upper lap of a second travelling conveyor 44. Conveyor 44 which preferably is continuously in motion in the direction of arrow C, FIGURE 3, in space S, describes an inclined path of travel around rollers 46 and 48 mounted on transverse shafts 50 and 52 suitably supported at one side in plates 22 and at the other, in plate 54 of the adjacent alley. Plate 54 is secured to the associated kickback K. of the adjacent alley and provided with an opening 55 corresponding to opening 42 to permit the release of balls from its associated pit to a suitable common ball return device serving both alleys. Shafts 50 and 52 and rollers 46 and 48 mounted thereon are driven in any convenient manner in the direction of the arrows shown in FIGURE 3.

Any pins which gravitate or are inadvertently urged by ball through openings 42 and '55 and onto conveyor 44 are engaged thereby and carried thereon in the direction of arrow E. Pins, thus carried on conveyor 44, engage diverter member 56 and are cammed by either of the inclined faces 57 thereof back through either respective openings 55 or 42 for delivery to the associated mechanisms M.

Ball 10, however, because of its weight and spherical shape will gravitate on conveyor 44, opposite to its direction of travel, toward and onto rails -R of a suitable ball return runway for rapid return by a ball return device (not shown) to the head end of alley A.

What I claim is:

1. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit at one end, kickbacks located at opposite sides of said pit, and a ball discharge station adjacent one of the kickbacks of said alley in the pit thereof, comprising a travelling conveyor, means inclinedly supporting said conveyor adjacent said one of said kickbacks and exteriorly of said pit between said discharge station and a ball return device, a diverting device adjacent the upper surface of said conveyor at said discharge station, said diverting device provided with at least one cam face, and means for travelling said conveyor to move pins only received thereon from said pit against a cam face of said diverting device whereby pins on said conveyor are directed by said cam face back into said pit, the inclination of said conveyor being operative to deliver balls only to said ball return device.

2. Ball and pin handling apparatus for use with tWo side by side bowling alleys each having a pit and kickbacks at the sides of said pit, comprising means mounting said alleys with adjacent kickbacks thereof spaced a distance apart greater than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball, each of said adjacent kickbacks being provided with an opening through which bowling balls may roll from the pits of said adjacent alleys, conveying means located in said space between said kickbacks, a diverting device positioned between said kickbacks and at the rear of the path of travel of said conveyor, said diverting device being provided with two opposed deflecting faces, means for driving said conveyor to move any bowling pins' received thereon from the pits of said alleys into operative relationship with said deflecting faces of said diverting device, whereby said pins are urged back into said pits for delivery therefrom, and means mounting said conveyor such that bowling balls received thereon will roll to a point of discharge therefrom in a direction opposite to the path of travel of said conveyor.

3. Pin and ball handling mechanism for use with a bowling alley having a pit at one end, kickbacks located at opposite sides of said pit, and a ball discharge opening through one of said kickbacks, comprising in combination a traveling surface, means mounting said traveling surface exteriorly of said one of said kickbacks and in position to receive balls moving out of said pit through said opening, a diverting member, means mounting said diverting member above said traveling surface, and means for driving said surface to divert pins moving out of said pit through said opening against said diverting member, whereby said member re-directs said pins back into said pit.

4. Pin and ball handling apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit at one end, kickbacks located at opposite sides of said pit, and one of said kickbacks being formed with a ball discharge opening and a ball re turn device, comprising in combination a traveling conveyor, means mounting said conveyor exteriorly of said one of said kickbacks and in position to receive balls moving out of said pit and through said opening for delivery to said device, a diverting device mounted adjacent the upper surface of said conveyor, and means for moving said conveyor to move pins passing through said opening onto said conveyor against said diverting device, whereby said device re-directs said pins back into said pit.

5. The invention defined in claim 4 wherein said conveyor comprises an endless belt having an upper ball and pin supporting lap inclined upwardly toward said diverting device, and a cam face on said diverting device which when engaged by a pin advanced thereagainst by said lap of said conveyor directs said pin back into said pit, and the inclination of said lap of said conveyor being such that balls delivered thereon roll therealong to said ball return device.

6. Pin handling apparatus for use with a bowling alley having a pit at one end and a ball discharge station adjacent one of the kickbacks of said alley in the pit thereof comprising a travelling surface having an upper lap, means mounting said surface adjacent said ball discharge station for receiving balls passing through said discharge station and conducting them to a ball return device, a diverting member positioned adjacent said travelling surface at a point remote from said ball return device, said diverting member having an inclined cam face transverse to said upper lap of said travelling surface and means for driving said travelling surface to move pins inadvertently removed from said pit into operative relationship with said cam face whereby said pins are urged back into said pit for delivery therefrom.

7. Pin handling apparatus for use with a pair of sideby-side bowling alleys, each of said alleys having a pit at one end and conventional kickbacks at the sides 0f said pit, said alleys mounted with adjacent kickbacks thereof spaced a distance apart greater than the maximum diameter of a bowling ball and having a ball exit in each of said adjacent kickbacks, pin and ball handling mechanism comprising an endless belt travelling conveyor having an upper lap, means mounting said conveyor adjacent said ball exits between said adjacent kickbacks for receiving balls passing through said exits and conducting them to a common ball return device, a diverting member positioned adjacent the upper lap of said travelling conveyor at a point remote from said ball return device, said diverting member having inclined angularly arrangedcam faces, said cam faces being disposed in planes substantially at right angles to the upper lap of said conveyor and means for driving said travelling conveyor to move pins inadvertently removed from either of said pits into operative relationship with one of said cam faces whereby said pins are urged thereby back through an associated exit into their associated pit for delivery therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,531,167 Simpson Nov. 21, 1950 2,626,802 Simpson Jan. 27, 1953 2,699,944 Keesling Jan. 18, 1955 2,767,983 Holloway Oct. 23, 1956 2,785,898 Zuercher Mar. 19, 1957 

